The Not So Wonderful Wizard
by Makai-Rahl
Summary: When Charlie decides to get some summer reading done, he NEVER exspects to get thrown into Oz in the process! But while Don and Alan try to get him back, how will Charlie help Elphaba change the course of Oz's future? Numb3rsWicked Xover
1. Not in LA anymore

Disclaimer: I'm telling you now and for the rest of the story. I don't own Numb3rs that's CBS. Don't own _Wicked _or _Son of a Witch._ Those are Gerry Maguires. So, there's that.

A/N: hey all, this is my second story so hope you like this one as well as the other one! On with the first chapter!

'_Italicized indicates lines from the book(s)'_

It was the first day of summer vacation and just about ten in the morning when Charlie made his way into the living room, armed with a glass of OJ and toast, bound and determined that he was going to do what he set out to do this summer: to get through at least two books that were non-math and non-school related. Novels.

Depositing his OJ on the coffee table and toast on the couch, he looked to the bookshelf for assistance. It didn't help much. Then he spied what looked to be two of his mom's old favorites that had missed being packed: _Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West _and the one after it, _Son of a Witch._

"Huh, these might not be so bad…" Charlie picked up the first book, moved his breakfast, and sat on the couch. Opening to the first page, he was immediately hooked by the first sentence

_'A mile above Oz, the Witch balanced herself on the winds forward edge…'_

But after just a few hours and getting half way into the second section of the book, _Gillikin, _it had started to get a little cloudy, and Charlie decided that a little lamplight wouldn't hurt, especially not if he was reading a book as good as this.

He never saw it coming, but how was he supposed to?

Reaching over for the switch, he felt a shock like none other. Feeling like he had gotten hit by an eighteen wheeler, Charlie was thrown back against the opposite wall, and was out, never seeing the lamp shatter into a thousand deadly shards that embedded into his skin.

Hearing the commotion, Alan came flying down the stairs to see his youngest son lying on the floor in a crumpled and bloodied mess of glass and ceramic.

"Don!" Alan yelled franticly, "call 911! Charlie's been electrocuted!"

Don was down the stairs in an instant, cell phone in hand and assessing his brother, hoping against hope that he wasn't dead.

"He's got a pulse! It's faint but it's there." He responded to both his father and the dispatcher, and then nodded to the phone and hung up after giving her the address.

"Ambulance is going to be here soon dad, and I'm gonna go with Charlie, Megan is on her way so she can drive you there."

"I can drive myself there damnit!" Alan exclaimed, but Don shook his head reasonably, replying, " NO dad, we can't be having you wreck and then not be able to be there for Charlie, you just have to calm down ok? That's the best thing for him now." The sound of sirens could be heard then, and Alan flung open the door and then stood out of the doorway, hoping that his baby boy would make it to the hospital alive.

Charlie opened his eyes to find himself in the oddest of places, and he knew that he wasn't at home anymore. The bed that he was laying in was plush, but plain at the same time. The covers were white, like those of a hospital, but he knew that he wasn't in one, at least he wasn't in one in Los Angeles.

Trying to stand, he felt that he was bandaged in several places, and was very sore, not to mention the migraine that had chosen to settle behind his left eye.

"Where the hell am I?" he asked, but it came out as more of a groan. Luckily, there was someone there to answer him.

"Oh my, he's awake." A smaller woman in a smock stood over him, and Charlie realized that he _definitely wasn't _ in LA

"Where am I?" he managed to mumble, and the woman's face clouded for a moment. "Why you're in the Emerald City of course. Where else would they bring a victim in your condition dear?"

'_Oh fuck.' _Was all Charlie could think of before he went into the darkness again.


	2. One long day in the Emerald city

Disclaimer: Don't Own Numb3rs, Don't Own Wicked or Son of a Witch, happy?

A/N: Hey here's chapter two, sorry they're so short but I never get around to checking the word count.

Don't worry for those of you who are reading it, chapter 12 of The Storm Arises is going to get there soon! Just keep checking and bug me a little. Oh well on with chapter two! MINOR BOOK SPOILERS WAIT!

(Animals that can talk are capitalized, normal animals are not.) Ex: Elephants can talk and elephants can't; you guy's know what I mean if you've read the books)

Don paced the lobby of the ER with vigor, as if he wanted to put a hole in the floor, and it looked like he was going to, he had been at it for about forty-five minutes.

"God what the hell is taking them so long? They should have an update by now!" he sat hard on the metal chair, looking to his father and Megan, who each had cup of stale hot coffee in their hands that had probably been there since eight in the morning.

"It takes time Don. You of all people should know that." Megan tried to calm the agent, but to no avail.

"I know that Meg but still, it's unnerving…" he paused as soon as he saw the doctor come out, a grave look on his face.

"Mr. Eppes?"

:"Yes?" Alan and Don responded simeotaniously.

"Come with me." Megan hung back to call the rest of the team for Don, and the men followed the doctor into exam 1.

"The damage to his nerves and brain were not severe, but he will have to stay in ICU for the night for observation, and then he can be moved into a normal room."

"When will he wake up?" Alan asked as Don moved to Charlie's side.

"We don't know. The only real injury was the shards that we're going to get out of his skin, and most are superficial."

"What the hell do you mean that you don't know?" Don's head snapped up, his dark eyes flashing.

The doctor shrugged. "We don't know. Like I said before, the damage was not severe, but just enough to knock him into a coma. The glass might have done it too, we don't know yet. We may never know

Charlie woke up in the same room again, but this time he was no longer in as much pain, just a dull ache in his shoulder, like it had been stepped on.

"Well, are you going to stay awake this time?" A Panther dressed in a white frock approached his bed, and Charlie had to stop for a minute to see if he was hallucinating. Was that Panther just talking to him?

"What? You look like you've never seen an Animal before."

Charlie gathered his wits and replied plainly, "Well, that's because I haven't."

The Panther regarded his steadily. "Where are you from?"

Charlie chose his words carefully. If he really was in the Emerald City, then he really couldn't say that he was from California, so he thought quickly. "I'm from Frottica, in Northern Gillikin. I was here to meet an associate of mine but ended up here I guess. I don't know how."

The Panther nodded, taking the lie easily. " I see, well, the person who found you said the same thing. Odd thing she was."

"Why?"

"She was green."

_'Oh my god, Elphaba found me? What part of the book am I in?_' Charlie thought fast. _'I had just gotten to where Elphaba had gotten Galinda to go with her to the city and talk to the Wizard. And she had just begun to leave Galinda behind to peruse what ever happens, I never got beyond that. Did she find me on her way out? I hope she comes back to help me, maybe we can work something out…'_

The Animal clearing her throat broke his thoughts.

"Your visitor is here, and I think that you're leaving to day. "

And that was when he saw her, The green girl in dark dress and robes, a slightly pointed hat jaunted at an absurd angle on her head, blocking her eyes and most of her facial features except her sharp chin and nose, and her long mane of dark hair pulled back into a braid.

"Hello stranger, my name is Elphaba Thropp." She got right to the point as Charlie stood, and stepped behind a curtain to change into the cloths that she had provided for him.

Slipping on the white shirt and deep blue trousers, Charlie folded the dark cape about his shoulders as she continued.

"I know not where you come from, and frankly I don't care, but you're here for some importance to me, or I wouldn't've found you."

"But how do you know how I'm supposed help you?" Charlie followed her out into the bustling streets of the city. And despite her green pallor, Elphaba Blended right in.

"Because like I said, I'm the one who found you, and besides you're not from around here. Where are you from?"

"Frottica. Northern Gillikin."

"I know where that is. And I know that's not where you're from, you have the same accent as the Wizard, and there are rumors that he's from another land, and how am I to know that you're not from the same?"

Charlie shrugged as they stopped at a small café. "You'll just have to trust me, and where do they say that the Wizard came from?"

"Some place called Kansas." Elphaba cut him off as she ordered two cups of tea and they sat in a back booth. "One other thing that I need to know."

"What's that?"

"Your name."

"Charles." Charlie decided to use his full name here, easy to blend in. "You seem very astute for eighteen."

Elphaba stopped and narrowed her eyes. How did you know my age?"

"I'm a good guesser, and you're ten years younger than me. Easy."

She took of her hat, looked to the waiter, took her cup of tea, and studied him adding, "Then we may get along well Charles, very well."

Mak:Well, there's chapter 2 all! Hope you like it, and I'm sorry for those of you that have readthe book, I know that I skipped like half of it, but this is the only place I could think to start. Please don't forget to hit the review button on your way out, it helps a lot.!


	3. Startling revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs, Wicked or Son of a Witch.

A/N: yea one review! Someone likes it, hopefully more will too, so here's chapter three!

"I bet we will." Charlie also smiled, and took his tea when the waiter brought him his, and both sat in companionable silence for a moment, both lost in their thoughts.

"Well Elphaba, where do we go from here? I don't even know how you found me much less what we're doing here."

"Lets just say that I met a few people the other day that I share a common enemy with, and that, in time Charles, you will grow to hate as much as the rest of us. The not so wonderful Wizard."

Charlie nodded, taking it all in. "The one that came in by hot air balloon?"

"The very same, it is rumored that he came from another world called Kansas, but none such place has been found."

"Not on your maps anyway. "Charlie muttered, but Elphaba didn't hear him. Finishing her tea, she called for the ticket and paid it, curling her lip at the emending storm that was about to gather, and Charlie suddenly remembered that she was allergic to water, and he thought that he knew why. But that was of no matter right then because he had to concentrate to keep up with his emerald companion.

Elphaba snaked through the city streets and made her was to an old military base, finding her way into a lofty apartment in one of the buildings.

"This is where I first found you, lying face-sown on the floor and out cold. I figured that the Wizard had you thrown in her for one reason or another, but since it is no longer occupied, I think that it will serve our purposes well for the time being."

"I guess it will, I don't know how I got here though…I wonder why he would he would throw me in here, I have no memory of what has gone on the last few days."

"It serves us just as well." And that was all that she said for the next three hours as the two of them began to clean their meeting place as Charlie known it to become.

Dawn broke by the time that the doctors had actually got Charlie out of the ER, after pulling out all the little pieces of glass that had lodged in his hands, face and arms. A medium sized pan is what held all that was left of Alan's antique Tiffany lamp and Alan didn't really care, he just wanted his son to wake up. He sent Don home, wanting his oldest to get some sleep and go back to work, reassuring him that he would call the minute Charlie woke up. Larry, Amita, and several students of Charlie's also stopped by to see how the professor was doing, but the doctors could offer no words of comfort to the father just a simple, "We are monitoring his progress an we will get back with you as soon as anything changes." Translation: we don't know and we're stalling for time to try and figure out why your son's a vegetable.

Alan sighed again, turning his gaze for the umpteenth time to his younger son, who was probably miles away right now, and how right Alan was, for right now, Charlie had his own agenda that he was busy taking care of.

"So how are we going to get to Madame Morrible, from what you all have told me, this plan could take years." Charlie turned to Elphaba and several others, who he could not quite name yet, and he was certain that at least two of them were Animals, one a snake.

"Oh no wittthhh her being prompted to pressss secretary," the snake began, "It will not be hard for usss to get to her. But the Wizard in the long run will prove to be more difficult." She thumped her tail against the weathered boards, and Charlie was once again thankful that he was seated next to Elphie and another human named Boq, though Boq seemed that he didn't really wasn't to be there, and he told the green girl as much.

"Why do we have to do this Elphie? We know that Madame had Dr. Dillamund killed! What is the point in getting revenge?"

Elphaba gave him a long look, then smiled. "Why, I'm surprised at you Boq, for one who used to be so bold in courting our Galinda. Or Glinda as she is to be called now, she has also been in the Wizards clutches for sometime, and I have not been able to get a hold of her."

'_The good witch of the north?' _ Charlie thought, _'She's in this too? I should've gotten farther in the book before I turned on that goddamn- Oh my god! That's why I'm here!_ ' The revelation suddenly struck Charlie, but he quickly dismissed it, he couldn't be in a coma, this wasn't a dream, because he had never read anything in the book like this, or it would be his memory repeating it back to him in an illogical fashion. This, however, was perfectly logical; they were planning to ultimately kill the Wizard. _'But then again,'_ thought Charlie _when we get there, maybe Elphaba will be right, maybe I'll want to kill_ _the wizard, I guess I won't know till I get there.' _ And with that the meeting for the night adjourned, leaving Charlie with nothing.

Mak: Hey there's chapter three, hope it's ok, for those who don't know, I'm trying to make this those "lost years" for those of you who have read the book, and just something fun for those who haven't. And don't forget the button on your way out of Oz!


	4. A hopeful solution

Disclaimer: Don't own Numb3rs, don't own Wicked or Son of a Witch.

A/N: Yea more people like it! This is great thanks so much guys! On with four!\

Don was busy pasing his small cubicle by the time that his dad called him with some good news, it wasn't much but it was a little hope at least.

"He moved this morning, and was saying something incoherent, but for once it wasn't about math."

"What was it about dad, what was he saying?" Don was frantic for news about his little brother, and got out a pen and a piece of paper.

"Something about the 'not so wonderful wizard, and how he was going to help kill him…and some person named Elphaba or some nonsence like that, is it connected to one of the cases that he's working on for you?"

"No but maybe for someone else. Thanks dad, I'll look into it right now." Little did they know they were far from the truth.

Charlie woke up the next morning stiff and cold, and his injuries from before were going to take some time to heal. But that was of no matter because he realized that the small loft 'apartment' was empty. Elphaba was gone, but just efore he startted to totally freak out, she walked in, carrying an assortmant of food for breakfast, and for the next week he supposed, since this was going to be their usual meetingplace.

But he was wrong again.

"You better eat well today Charles, we're going on a rescue mission."

"To go rescue who?" Chalrie asked as he hastily picked out an apple among the rest and started eating and pulling on his boots at the dame time, trying haphazardly to follow his green companon down the stairs.

"My aquaintance Avric had gotten himself thrown into SouthStairs, the prison here. I toldyou to eat well because that palce is a maze, a labranth really. You could be lost down there for the rst of your life if you don't know the right people."

"And I'm assuming that you know the right people?" Chalrie choked on part of his apple, and grabbed another from her bag as they steepes out onto the deserted alleyway and onto the busy street.

""I do know some, but I went there lastnight after you had gone to bed, and found my way to his cell. The problem is that I don't have the nimd to break the lock."

"What do you mean 'not the right mind'?"

"It's a puzzle that I can't figure out, a number puzzle, and something tells me that your very good at puzzles Charles."

Two days had passed sence Charlie had muttered that nothing about "Elphaba and the South Stairs" to Alan, and neither he nor Don could make heads or tails of it untill Don found the semi charred book behind the couch in the living room. Flipping through it, he quicly figured out why his little brother was trapped, and tole his dad and the doctors on his next visit.

"He's trapped inside Oz." He concluded some five minutes later and the doctor nodded.

"That very well could be, and I think that I have a way to bring him out of it. I can do a minor brain surgery that would require me to open up his skull and fire some of the neurons in his brain causing him to hillucinate slightly and come out of the coma. I don't think I need to go into detail right now, but it is an option, I'll let you two think it over for a few days, and come back when you're ready to decide." The doctor left, and this time, it ws the two older Eppes men that were at a loss.

Mak: Well, there it is chpt 4! Hope you like it so far, some do! I need to get a little more feedback guys, but I will keep posting this and the others, so hit the button on your way out of LA ok? Los Angeles later or L.A.8R!


	5. A new puzzle

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs or Wicked or Son of a witch ok? On with five!

Charlie had finally finished his apple by the time that he and Elphaba had made their way into the heart of the city. Throwing the core into the trash, he thought that he saw a small rodent maybe a mouse or a Mouse try to get at it, but his path was quickly stopped by Elphaba's slender hand.

"We're here. Well, almost, I doubt that you have a fear of the dark Charles."

Charlie shook his head, hoping that wouldn't become true once they got down into the prison break her friend out. But he didn't have much to worry about at first because the pair stopped into a small shop that was used as the army headquarters, a Rhino blocking the way to the door that Charlie guessed led to South Stairs.

" Need to get into South Stairs." Elphaba got right to the point when she walked up to the Rhino, and amazingly the Animal stepped away, and they both spotted the door that led into the prison. Signaling to Charlie, Elphaba confidently led the way down deep into the dungeon, where Charlie was hoping that they wouldn't end up staying.

Don awoke with a start the next morning at his desk, wondering what the hell he was still doing at work, he should be at home with his dad, deciding weather they should let the doc do the operation on Charlie or not.

Megan spotted the disheveled agent, and wondered how long that he had been at work. She also saw that he still had that piece of paper with 'Elphaba' and 'South Stairs" scribbled on it, and the charred copy of _Wicked_ under it.

"Still trying to figure out where Charlie might be in the story?" she asked, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, but it's hard to tell, he could be absolutely anywhere in here."

"Well, do you know where he was when he went to turn on the lamp?"

"Dad thinks that he might be somewhere in here." Don pointed to _Gillikin_ " But he thinks that with Charlie in there it might present a few problems."

"Like what?" Megan took more than a few packs of sugar to her coffee, stirred, and sat at her desk.

"Like where Elphaba makes Glinda go back to Shiz with out her and disappears for five years. Charlie could be stuck in there and he won't come out of the coma for maybe weeks or months, if he finds her or she finds him, we might just have to give up hope all together, even with the procedure."

"Why? I thought that would bring him out of it."

"No, if Charlie's got something going he'll want to finish it before he comes back to reality." Don finished warily, and Megan hoped that it wasn't true.

Mak: Hey guys sorry it took a while to post, this is our homecoming week, I'm in band and things get hectic for us this time of year, so sorry if I take a while in posting the next chappie! So hit the button on your way out of Oz!


	6. More of a shock and a maze

Disclaimer: Hey don't own Numbers or Wicked by chapter six. Enjoy.

"So he'll want to stay in his coma." It wasn't a question on David's part; it was another fact.

"Yeah that's what Don told me." Megan sighed, and threw her newest cup of coffee down the drain. "I don't know who we're going to get our friend back then."

"Well, I think that Don knows what they're doing, him and Alan. I think that they're doing the right thing." Colby walked into the lounge and commented to his colleges as he poured his newest cup.

"But keeping Charlie in the coma? That's not the brightest thing that I've ever heard." David said as he turned to Megan, who shrugged.

"It makes sense, if Charlie doesn't get to finish what he started, he might get the idea to knock himself back into the coma. I know that it sound irrational but it also sounds to me like Charlie." Megan paused, hoping their theory wouldn't come true, and that Charlie would get out of his current state soon.

Charlie shivered, he ha officially decided that he didn't like this place, yet, there he was, huddling behind Elphaba wondering how long that they had been down there. Probably for a few hours at least.

"Here we are." Elphaba paused before a solid steel door, made like the ones that you would see in an industrial warehouse or a building of that sort. Just by looking at it, Charlie didn't think that it was even three inches thick, but the lock on it was puzzling, even for him. Numbers were scratched above the lock to give hints to the guards he supposed. He fiddled with the numbers for a moment, then figured it out.

"It's in sequence. The number that comes next in line is the sum of the two numbers before it! See lets try this…" he punched a few numbers until they both heard the door latch open and a voice out of the darkness.

"Go away, I don't have anything to say to you damn losers that think…" The man had dark hair, almost coal, and deep green eyes.

"No Avric, I think that we're come to get you." Elphaba stepped into the room as Avric stood, and tossed him an apple.

"Here we have a long journey out of here, and it won't be the way that we can in either."

Don sighed as he pulled into Charlie's driveway a few hours after talking to Megan and the others, wondering what the next course of action would be. But then again he already knew what it was: to decided if he was going to let the doctor pull open his baby brothers skull, shock him enough to scare him awake, and hope that the hole thing worked. But he wasn't in the mood. But when he got into the house, he was surprised at what he saw, and he hoped never to see it again.

Mak: Ohh double cliff! Sory this is still short, but I have a college midterm to study for and my other story to update. So hit the button on your way out!


	7. Through more darkened ways

Disclaimer: I don't won Numb3rs, or Wicked at the moment.

A/N: Sorry this is late everybody, but I had band competion on Sat so I didn't get to update, and this might be somewhat short, I'll do this is two parts because I have a History mid- term tomorrow. So hope you all like what I can give you1

On with seven!

"Dad! Dad!" Don yelled as his father finally came to on the couch about half an hour later.

"Donnie? Where the hell am I?" Alan sat up slowly, rubbing his head.

"You're at home dad, what did you do to yourself?" Don pointed to the three empty bottles of beer that were laying on the coffee table, and that's when Alan groaned and laid back down.

"I guess I got to thinking about your brother and that fancy surgery and wondering if we should let the doc do it. The thought of having either of my boys in that position frightens me to death and I guess that I took it a little too far. Well, more than a little I suppose."

"Yeah three was more than a little dad. Charlie will be fine, he knows what he's doing, and I think that I know where he is in that mind of his, and he knows how to take care of himself."

Charlie was in the middle of their little trio as they made their way out of South Stairs, Elphaba grilling him harder than Don did most of his suspects about her family and friends, which Avric had contacted recently until he had been thrown down into the dank and dark.

"Nessa and Granny took it as well as expected, our Glinda just sat on your bed, and then I suspect she grieved for you privately. Madame Morible took it with out emotion, I suppose that she was happy to see you leave. But then again, she had just gotten a letter from the Wizard asking her to join him here in the Emerald City. That's why I'm here. I had gotten hold of the letter and copied it for all of our "associates" before one of the patrolmen got hold of one and I was drug down here within the hour."

"Ok, that's gonna have to do for now. This is the section that we have to be quick, and we have to be silent when we make our way out to the north entrance of the prison. These are the beings that they have labeled "unstable of the mind. And for good reason. The horrors that these poor should go through in the endless darkness are nothing of what we go through in our daily trials." Elphaba whispered to the other two, an and they nodded, tying a piece of rope around their waists to keep them together as they put out their torches for the time being, and Elphaba lead the way into the endless dark, and to Charlie, into oblivion.

Mak: Sorry people, I'll get back to Don and Alan when I can. This is what I wrote in Coll. American Hist this morning, and I hope that I can get more up soon, I'm updating everything tonight, so hit the button on you way out of Oz!


	8. A little bit of sun

Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked or Numb3rs.

A/N: Hey all, here it is finally, I'm sorry this is late, but we won regional for band and we're going to state the 23rd, and we have 2-a days the rest of the week, so I decided to update before I went to work. So sorry if I don't get to update again for a while.

On with eight!

" Are you sure that Charlie will be able to take care of himself mentally Donnie? How do you know that he's even where you say he is?"

"I don't know dad, it's just a really good guess." Don rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand and sighed, helping his half-drunk dad up the stairs and into bed for the night. " Now you just stay in here and rest for the night, I'm gonna go down stairs and call the doc and see if Charlie has said anything new." Alan nodded and Don went back down the stairs and got himself a new pot of coffee and the small notebook that he had been using to write Charlie's sayings for the past few days in. So far, he had little and none of it made sense as to where he was in the book. Just a bunch of ramblings to Elphaba he supposed, but the only connection was to a place called South Stairs. He just hoped that this place wasn't bad, and hoped that Charlie would be able to get out of it.

&&&&&&

And so did Charlie, he thought that the trail out of South Stairs would never end, but it finally did. After what felt like days, Elphaba paused and handed two blindfolds to Charlie and Avric. "Here put these on, or else were going to go blind from the light, we'll have to keep these on for a few days, but do not worry, I know where we're going, and it will be safe, I assure both of you." Charlie heard the other two tie on their blind folds tightly and he did the same. After a few moments, Elphie took his hand and he grabbed Avric's wrist and instantly felt the warmth of the sun.

Although he had tied the blindfold on tightly, and so did the others, his eyes still watered slightly.

"Where are we Elphaba?" Avric was the one to ask, as the trio made their way over what felt like a meadow, scattered with various flowers and paths, Charlie figured that they were in someone's private garden.

"We have made our way through about 20 miles of prison, and then another 20 miles out of the Emerald City and back into Shiz, but do not worry, they will never know that we were here, ad it is best if they do not."

"Who?" Charlie had no clue who they were talking about, and what were they doing in Shiz if they weren't' supposed to be there?

"My sister, Nessa; nanny, and my friend Glinda. Somedays I wonder why I call her my friend, but that is what she is never the less…"

"So that's where we are, back at the university, but why Elphaba? We have a risk of being seen by them, and don't not forget Boq as well."

Elphaba grimaced, she had not thought of him. " OH well, that's of no matter, I think that we've come out in the late evening, so it's best that we find a nook to hide in for the night, and we'll go from there."

And so the three friends settle into an abandoned house three blocks from the university, but little did they know that someone had seen them, and it was not exactly a bad thing though, the message flew through certain webs that the green girl and her companions were still alive.

&&&&

Mak: Hey sorry it's so short guys I really am, but you know how school is, it gets hectic and then you forget to update or its one of those later things, but I have to update all four of my stories this morning, so I gotta go. Hit the button on your way out of Oz!


	9. The Hunt pt 1

Disclaimer: I don't won Numb3rs or Wicked, just the story line.

A/N: Hey all, sorry it's been like a week sense I've updated, marching band is finally over, we got second in the state, behind Monte Vista. Oi oh well, here I am. On with nine! I think…

(Italics are sections from the book and Charlie's breaks into reality later)

Don was getting worried. Charlie hadn't spoken for another two days, about anything. He hadn't given them any clues as to where he was now or where he was headed in that mind of his. He and Alan had decided to go ahead with the procedure, but the surgeon said to wait a few more days to see if the professor would give them any clue as to his current mental state. He hadn't, and Don, Alan and Larry were now holding their usual lunch vigil with him, and discussed Charlie's latest outburst of the last day.

"Well, now what Elphie? What is Avric going to do?"

" I have now clue as to what that means Don, and I've read the book as much as you have, and I still don't have a clue to where Charles is, but I think that he is still in this Elphaba's company, and is now friends with her."

"Friends Larry, how can you be friends with some imaginary character from some book that he hasn't even read the whole way through yet?" Alan turned to the other professor, but then Charlie finally muttered something that would change their opinions for a while, and that maybe they wouldn't have to go through with the procedure after all.

"I guess that the plan is set Elphie, we're going to kill the Wizard…"

"I guess we are Charles." Elphaba set down the map that she had been studying the map of the Emerald City, and looked at Charlie with eyes that almost matched hers. "It might take a while though, you know that there is more to this plan than you and me, we just get the honor of killing the not so wonderful Wizard; there are others that must be taken out first in order for our assignation to commence." Elphaba took the map and rolled it up, and Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"So when is Avric going to take off and make sure that Madame is not going to that party tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow afternoon I think, but it's hard to tell with Avric and his brain. I think that I would have an easier time getting Glinda into peasant clothing." A smile lit on her face briefly, and Charlie nodded in agreement, she had shared stories of her old friend with fondness, if he had a second sister and not a normal little brother that she no longer kept track of. Charlie knew that he had changed the course of the story by simply being there, and that it was going to be a lot sooner than five years when Madame Morrible was going to be killed, and there was nothing to stand in their way. But he suddenly realized that he didn't know why the book had a five-year span between _Gillikin _and _The Emerald City. _ However, once it was there, it stuck.

"Elphie, how long have you been gone from Shiz?" he asked suddenly, he wanted to know how deep he was into this unknown section of Ozian history.

"About three years. Why?"

"No reason, lets just get our rest so we'll be ready to help Avric in the morning."

"Agreed." Elphie reached for the oil lamp and went to her section of the apartment, calling a good night to Charlie.

But Charlie didn't get any sleep that night; he kept having the strangest dreams…

He was in a hospital bed, but he didn't know exactly why. Don, his dad and Larry were there, having lunch and a discussion about him, he tried to reach out ha hand, but it felt like lead. He tried to call Don's name. 

"_Donnie…" Don whipped his head around to see his brother._

_"Charlie! Buddy can you hear me?"_

_"Barely, Donnie, I'm stuck in Oz, I shouldn't be long…"_

"_Ok buddy we'll e right here waiting for you…" and that was all he could say before Charlie woke up again in the morning light of Oz._

"Donnie? Did he just come back to us for a minute?" Alan stared at his youngest son in amazement as Charlie went back to sleep and his hand lost grip on Don's.

"Yeah I think so, I think that he's final going to come back to us soon dad, I think that he just wants to help Elphaba kill the Wizard and then he'll be able to get out of there."

"Maybe we'll be able to get him out of there sooner." The doctor walked in, a husky and professional female surgeon walked in him, her dark brown wavy hair tied up in a messy bun.

"Eppes, this is Doctor Recanni. She'll be the one to perform the operation on Charlie. Has he made any progress sense we last spoke?"

"Yeah, yeah he just broke through to us a few minutes ago," Larry started, "He's started to break back into reality."

"Oh, well, then, I think that we need to get him into the OR as soon as possible, and help him get out, his brain is fighting to wake him up, and now we have a better success rate if we get him in there now. Do we have permission to do so?" Dr. Recanni looked to the Eppes, who both nodded.

"Ok then, we'll call you when he's ready to go, and then you can say good bye, and I'll then call you when we're done."

The three men left, hoping that the doctor would be right.

Mak: There you go guys, I'll start updating everything else tomorrow, or actually tonight, but I don't think that I'll get all of them done sorry. But his the button on your way out of LA!


	10. Noone will mourn the Wicked Hunt pt 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs or Wicked. So there 

A/N: Hey everybody, happy Halloween and it seemed appropriate to update (and maybe end) the story that I guess that you all would scroll down and find, seeing as it's got Elphie in it, and that it's kind of a Halloween story. So, here's the next chapter!

Charlie was nervous, very nervous. He and Elphaba had finally gotten word that Avric had completed his task, and that Madame Morrible was dead, that the number two person in the Wizard's regime was gone, and even with the heightened security around the wizard, it was easy for them to slip into the palace and to set up a surveillance in the inner chambers of the Wizard, and after four long days, they finally caught a glimpse of the man that they were going to murder for the good of a country, but before Charlie could say anything to Elphaba, he had a flash of light in his eyes, and a scene of reality.

_"I need the probe now" the doctor reached for what the nurse was handing him, and peered over to Charlie, who's eyes were closed, but he could sense that he was in a hospital, in some kind of procedure._

"_Ok Charlie, this might sting a little, but sense your getting back to reality this might help."_

_He felt another shock, and then was returned to Elphaba._

Charlie woke to find that his green friend was sneaking up on the Wiz, trying to figure out what he was saying, but she could make out none of it.

"Well, I think that it is time Charles, I think that it is time to end this…to end him." She pointed to the Wizard, and rose, pulling a knife out of her boots, and Charlie saw another flash, and said to Elphie, "I think that we have to hurry Elphie, I have a feeling that I don't have much time." He also pulled out a knife, and stood with his friend, and they stepped together to finish the deed that had brought Charlie into a coma in the first place.

"Well, I think that should do it." The OR doctor patched Charlie's skull back together and washed up to go talk to the two other Eppes men, and give them the news that Charlie should wake up in a few days, and would be released in a few months and would stay at home, away from any electrical devices. The two Eppes were relieved, and were happy to hear that Charlie would recover, but were worried that Charlie might not be ready to come out of Oz quite yet.

But he surprised all of them when he woke up some four days latter, asking for Don and Alan. He could barely speak; he had been out for two months.

"D-don…dad….how…long…have…I…been…here?"

"Shhh, don't worry about it buddy, why did you get out of Oz too fast?" Don asked him with a smile, and Charlie was surprised.

"Elphie told me to go, after we took care of the Wizard…" that whole sentence took all his strength, and Charlie fell into a fitful sleep, where he relived his last hours with Elphie, and helped murder the Wizard.

_He had stepped out of the shadows with her, raised his knife at the same time she did, and for once, he had no regrets for killing someone that he hardly knew. He had planned, and argued and laughed for the last two months with these new friends of his. Now they were working together to bring to an end the reign that was oppressing so many in OZ: the Animals, and the animals respectively; the poor in Oz, and the ones that were rebels, like them. Elphaba hesitated only a second, then drove her blade into the Wizard's chest as he turned to face the two of them; and only Charlie saw the recognition in his face before he few onto the bed, and then she turned to him and said, "We're done here Charles, now you must go, it is not safe for you here, for me, for any of us."_ _She was almost frantic. _

_"But Elphaba, this is only the beginning, this is the start of a new Oz for all of us!"_

"_But you're not going to be here for long Charles! You said yourself, and I can feel it, you were not meant to be here." She shoved him out of the window that they had entered, and that was the last he saw of Elphaba Thropp._

Charlie was out of the hospital and back into the house when Don handed him the charred copy of _Wicked_.

"Wow, we need to frame this thing." Charlie laughed, and flipped to the page that he had finished reading when he was thrown into the world of OZ, and to start the conspiracy to put down the not so Wonderful Wizard.

"Wow, I forgot that the Wizard just left, and Elphie ends up getting murdered."

"By who? Did the story change sense you were in there?" Don teased, and helped Alan bring out the lunch for that day.

"Nope, the story is what it is, and I figured that I would stick to reading my textbooks for the rest of the summer."

"Amen to that, and how do you like having your shot hair Charlie?" Alan poked fin at Charlie's very short hair, which was now an afro, and would be until he grew it back out.

"Oh shut it dad." Charlie took his sandwich, and the three Eppes enjoyed the rest of the summer in peace, and Charlie wondered what would've happened if Elphie had lived, and at the beginning of the fall semester, he started in on _Son of a Witch_…

Mak: Well, I didn't plan on finishing it but I did so there ya go, I still have my other story here, as well as the others in the Yu-Gi-Oh! And Star Wars sections to do, so go and check them out, so hit the button for the last time on this one guys and thanx so much for reading and I haven't decided whether to do a sequel on this one or not. So bye!


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